


Present

by Lizlow



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 09:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17363129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizlow/pseuds/Lizlow
Summary: Seeing everyone’s expressions, their hopes and fears for the new year, and the charms she can present to ease and appease, makes the hard work worthwhile. Everyone’s happy so, naturally, she is too!With Feng here… it’s just another reason to look forward to another moment. Just one more sight… anything is enough.Another bow of the head, another wish for the best, watching and guiding each and every person along. Another glance,hehe, thank goodness…It’s all right before them.





	Present

**Author's Note:**

  * For [espeon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/espeon/gifts).



> Thank you again, Alex! It was a pleasure to write this♡

It’s crowded. _Of course_ it is. It’s New Year’s Day and she, as part of her duties, is front and center. She’s apt to start talking to _anyone_ but he, he’s not jealous. Absolutely not. _Right_ , he’ll keep repeating that, even if no one will believe it. No, the tasks he’s been given, by her and his own accord, are enough to bide time. But… He can’t help by look her way anyway.

When she notices his gaze, her smile rises, and he quickly glances away to _pretend_ he’s not staring.

(Good graces, he’s doing a terrible job at it.)

Laughter kisses the sky, and Hua really is in high spirits, taken by this! Seeing everyone’s expressions, their hopes _and_ fears for the new year, and the charms she can present to ease and appease, makes the hard work worthwhile. Everyone’s happy so, naturally, she is too!

With Feng here… it’s just another reason to look forward to another moment. Just one more sight… anything is enough.

Another bow of the head, another wish for the best, watching and guiding each and every person along. Another glance, _hehe_ , _thank goodness_ … It’s all right before them.

She coughs, here and there, but she manages to dispel any worries the shrine goers might have with a comfortable, sincere look. Attentive to the guests, as usual, because their good time is absolute. No matter the nip, this is how they greet time’s next chapter.

Gradually, the shadows cast begin to elongate, accompanying the orange, falling horizon, and the streams of chatting, boisterous people start to thin out. It’s about time they did, even if there’s more that likely needs to be done.

There’s always something.

Besides, this new quiet is welcomed. To the man that’s been alone for so long, the crowds are new. If they’re exhausting for someone accustomed to them, then surely if he could feel anything, it’d be something of that nature. Maybe now he can get closer to _her_ (which is something he can certainly hold back on, he’ll argue, to no avail, for knowing giggles tell all).

Speaking of which, is she breathing heavier? Or is it just him?

Must be her lungs. She’s _mortal_ , after all (a thought he won’t dwell on too much), so the biting swirls have likely filled her, ticking and rattling and...

“Now that things have settled down, how about you two get a breath of air?”

 _And_ more processing on that little fact is interrupted by the _other two_ nearby helpers.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Hua nods, clapping her hands, both in tidings for a day well met, and for the blessings of the years to come.

“No, I—” Feng beings. He could probably _list_ every reason why that’s not an ideal idea (and that includes the silent denial of _wanting_ to be alone with her) on a single hand, but it looks like he doesn’t even get a chance to say more.

“’No I’ couldn’t not go? Good, good! It’s well-deserved, so go on!”

Lightly, Hua laughs, stepping so that, soon, she’s right next to Feng. The motion is wordless; why waste a moment speaking when just a look, a gesture, can say so much? It comes again, a twinkle in the darkness, the door opening. No shutting of the eyes can evade this, and to see her sad after so wittingly agreeing to the walk wouldn’t be taken well.

Thus, the sword and the most important light to him are pressed to go on a break – a stroll of sorts. The destination? Just a place off to the side, where they can hear their own thoughts and see the mist float through the air.

The passage of time is lengthy, silent, but it rings of no discomfort. Not to Hua, who is pleased to be there. Not to Feng, who, by anyone’s knowing accounts, wanted this all along.

“Feng?” Her voice is soft, accompanied by a smile, “We’re almost there.”

It breaks through any loneliness that could have possibly been instilled. It always will.

“Music to my ears.”

And such is his answer, kept simple.

One step closer, don’t make it obvious. _Tup_. The sounds of their steps are now loud enough to echo. _Tup_. Another step, the distance between them is failing them, betraying them. _Tup_. Step again, their fingers brush against each other, lightly, gently. _Whoosh_. A breeze passes by, signifying the beat, and it’s a mere second. Nothing long. Nothing more. Yet… it’s enough to cause Hua to stop in her tracks.

They’re cold, Feng’s fingers are. Logically, they would be! They’ve been outdoors for so long…

“Feng, you’re freezing!”

He doesn’t _say_ anything immediately.

She frowns, resorting to taking his hands in hers, “There’s no need to be like that. Let me help you.”

“Don’t need it,” he tries to say, but that’s clearly not fooling anyone. Even if it’s not far from the truth. He doesn’t _need_ her to do this.

 _‘No’_ is certainly not an answer Hua will take, as she puffs up her cheeks. It’s pretty—

 _Stop_ , there’s no need to comment on that.

She takes to breathing on his hands, _puff, huff_ , with what _little_ air she can possibly muster. He can’t feel, the _cold doesn’t affect him_ , so why is she doing this, _puff, huff_ , when she should be resting her strength?

 _My…_ Every new sight, every new experience, if it hadn’t been for _Hua_ , he wouldn’t have stood there for it. _Well_ , if it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t even _be_ here for it. Maybe the other two can see them, from where they’re at, maybe they’re laughing themselves away. _Who cares? Who **really** cares? _

She’s here. She’s _really **here**. _The chill may not actually be a bother to him, he’s a _sword_ , a **spirit** … but this… this might actually be “warming” him up.

Always putting others first, always prioritizing him before herself, helping him, a sword that was, _is_ , clearly cursed, no good for her pure hands to take up, and accepting him for everything that he is, she’s too sweet, _foolish_ , and yet, yet he’s selfish, because he doesn’t want her to stop; he doesn’t want her to let go.

“Hua, there’s no need.”

“No need for you to be so stubborn about it, that’s right.”

A slight lean forward and, for a moment, she can see it, a flicker of upturned lips, peeking and reaching through his usual front. If he had the will to move from her grasp, his fingers would _dance_ over her hair, and the floral pin in it, but he won’t, he won’t do it.

“Ah, but, we’re here, Feng.”

She’s red. Whether it’s from the temperature, or the energy she’s used, or both, he isn’t sure.

“…Yeah, we are… and, thanks.”

“Hm?”

“…You’re red.”

“Oh,” Hua blinks, “Is that all?”

This is enough. Enough for now. Vanishing? Could very well happen, but if she’s here, then she won’t leave yet. She’ll be okay, with him, for a long time, he tells himself.

 _As long as this gentle flower remains_.


End file.
